A random collection of over 1910 books and audiobooks authored by or about my transgender, intersex sisters, and gender-nonconforming persons all over the world. I read some of them, and I was inspired by some of them. I met some of the authors and heroines, some of them are my best friends, and I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing some of them. If you know of any transgender biography that I have not covered yet, please let me know.
Original title: "Bijin-ryoku. Kirei ni ikiru 69 no hōsoku" 『美人力。 キレイに生きる69の法則』(Beauty Power: 69 Laws of Living Beautifully) by Onryu Kisaragi 如月音流.
This is the first book authored by Onryu Kisaragi, a charismatic Japanese businesswoman, ASCII artist, TV personality, and vocalist of the visual kei rock band Lily-C[lie]me. She is the President and CEO of New Gauge Co., Ltd. responsible for the development of a popular mobile phone site called "girlswalker.com", as well as she focuses on developing various content businesses such as beauty and fashion.
After starting a small business, she quickly achieved sales of 1 million yen, and her prowess attracted the attention of the Japanese public, making her one of the most prominent transgender activists in Japan. In addition to her success in the IT industry, she made a regular appearance on Japan TV's "Onee ★MANS" show, inspiring other transgender women in Japanese society.
2007,
Japanese,
Onryu Kisaragi,
Original title: "Kabā.-Chan no nenshō-kei dansu de tanoshiku yaseyou" KABA.ちゃんの燃焼系ダンスで楽しくやせよう (Let's have fun and lose weight with Kaba-chan's burning dance) by Kaba-chan KABA.ちゃん.
The book presents examples of Kaba-chan's physical and dancing exercises that help to burn fat in the arms, stomach, chest, back, buttocks, and legs. the story of Kaba-chan, born in 1969, in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, a Japanese transgender woman, and choreographer. According to Wikipedia, after studying dance in the USA, she became known in Japan as a member of the musical group Dos with Taeco Nishikawa and Asami Yoshino.
2004,
Japanese,
Kaba-chan,
Original title: "Hijura: Indo dai san no sei" ヒジュラ インド第三の性 (Hijra: The Third Sex in India) by Takeshi Isikawa 石川武志.
"Neither a woman nor a man, holy and profane, one who serves God, who bathes in stones, who weeps in spring - the hijra. It has been 17 years since I was following their lives with a camera in hand. In the midst of numerous photographs and plain texts, the third sex living in India, the land of chaos, forms a real picture."
Born in 1950, Takeshi Isikawa is a photographer. After graduating from the Tokyo College of Photography in 1972, he studied with Eugene Smith and traveled to the United States.. He became a freelancer in 1975 and has since covered the Silk Road, India, Thailand, the Philippines, China, and other Asian countries, as well as South America.
1995,
India,
Japanese,
Takesi Isikawa,
Original title: "Akarui toransujendā seikatsu" 明るいトランスジェンダー生活 (Bright Transgender Life) by Tomomi Sakura 佐倉智美.
Here is a story full of wisdom, courage, and humor that tells the story of a transgender woman whose body is male and whose mind is female, and who has built her own place and way of life from scratch. The book cheers up all those who find it difficult to live in the modern age, and it sometimes makes them smile.
Tomomi Sakura was born in Kansai, in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. She is a Japanese writer and academic teacher. She is a transgender woman who has been uncomfortable with the male gender since childhood and now lives as a happy woman and staunch supporter of the LGBT community.
2004,
Japanese,
Tomomi Sakura,
Original title: "Seidōitsuseishōgai ― seitenka no asa (Shūeisha shinsho) 性同一性障害 ―性転換の朝 (集英社新書) (Gender Identity Disorder-Morning of Sex Change (Shueisha Shinsho)) by Michiko Yoshinaga 吉永 みち子.
"I'm the one who decides "gender". A medical frontline report for all those who stand at the crossroads between men and women. A book of hope where the dream of sex change becomes a reality!
A woman's body but a man's mind, or vice versa. "Gender identity disorder" caused by the malfunction of the fetal sex determination mechanism has given "him" and "she" unseen emotional scars.
A special team at the Saitama Medical University General Medical Center was set up to solve the problem. While following the operations of a team of doctors led by Professor Takao Harashina, we have also examined many real cases of troubles, and now we have compiled a document of the origin of "man" and "woman". This is a hopeful and realistic report from the forefront of gender reassignment medicine for all those who stand at the crossroads of gender."
2000,
Japanese,
Michiko Yoshinaga,
Original title: "Yumewoakiramenaide 68-sai de seibetsutekigō shujutsu" 夢をあきらめないで 68歳で性別適合手術 (Don't give up on your dreams: Gender reassignment surgery at 68) by Akemi Mitsuchi 三土 明笑.
"The author is now a 70-year-old economist. From her childhood, she felt uncomfortable with her male body. She took action as LGBT awareness spread, but she soon developed bipolar disorder and fell into a long period of depression. She overcame his dysphoria and underwent gender reassignment surgery after retirement.
When she was a boy, she said that she "wanted to be a man (to have a man's heart)," even though she was a woman at heart. A glimpse of the pressure from society can be seen in the fact that she wanted to be a man rather than a woman. The book chronicles her journey from nearly a decade of suffering, mostly depressed, to the point where she came to believe in her own way of life."
2019,
Akemi Mitsuchi,
Japanese,
Original title: "Yōkoso, kabā.-Chan kitchin e" KABA.ちゃん発!オ・カ・マ・セ・エアライン (From KABA-chan! Oh Ka Ma Se Airline) by Kaba-chan KABA.ちゃん.
The book focuses on the journey towards happiness pursued by Kaba-chan, born in 1969, in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, a Japanese transgender woman, and choreographer. According to Wikipedia, after studying dance in the USA, she became known in Japan as a member of the musical group Dos with Taeco Nishikawa and Asami Yoshino.
Being a celebrity in Japan, Kaba-chan was open with her sexuality. While she was already known for her flamboyant character in Dos, she came out as a gay man publicly on television on a 2002 episode of the Japanese variety show Dancing Sanma Palace.
2004,
Japanese,
Kaba-chan,
Original title: "うらやましい人生" (Enviable Life) by Mits Mangrove (ミッツ・マングローブ).
From Shuhei Tokumitsu, a boy who longed for being "normal" more than anyone else, to Mits Mangrove, a Japanese singer, drag queen on stage, and TV personality in various programs, a member of the drag queen trio called Stardust Scat.
In March 2011, she made her long-awaited CD debut with "Young is Wonderful". In parallel with her solo singing career, she made her CD debut as a member of Stardust Scat. The book covers her great career, studying abroad in London, cross-dressing, romance, music, and stories from the entertainment world.
2015,
Drag queen,
Japanese,
Mits Mangrove,
Original title: "Sei doitsusei shogai 30-nin no kamingu auto: I recognize myself as what I am!" (30 Gender Identity Disorder Coming Outs: I recognize myself as what I am!) 性同一性障害３０人のカミングアウト by Saeko Souma 相馬 佐江子.
The book presents different stories of transgender people in Japan. One of the major psychological hurdles for transgender people is to disclose their gender identity to those around them, the so-called "coming out." Will I be able to gain an understanding of those around me, and will I be accepted by my parents?
The hurdles vary depending on the era of birth and environment, but those who have no fear of prejudice or discrimination are probably in the minority. In particular, in the case of people with "gender identity disorder" (GID), whose physical sex and mind are different at birth, many people want a treatment such as sex reassignment surgery, so parents of transgender people must feel confused and helpless.
2004,
Japanese,
Saeko Souma,
Original title: "Otokode mo naku on'nade mo naku ― hontō no watashirashi-sa o motomete" 男でもなく女でもなく―本当の私らしさを求めて (Neither a man nor a woman - Seeking true me) by Tsutamori Tatsuru 蔦森 樹.
From a GI cut motorcyclist to a woman who wears a light blue dress handmade by her mother. The author runs through the two genders and reaches the “I” that lies beyond that. This book describes the trajectory of the author who sincerely confronted what “man” is and what is “woman.”
Nowadays, gender crossing is regarded as a problem of the disease called “gender identity disorder,” and it is not regarded as a gender (gender) problem in society. However, the author's vivid light of struggle against gender still illuminates the darkness of the gender dichotomy that has not disappeared.
1993,
Japanese,
Tsutamori Tatsuru,
Original title: "Hanbunshōjo boku to atashi" 半分少女 僕とアタシ (Half Girl Me and Atashi) by Kaba-chan KABA.ちゃん.
This book is the story of Kaba-chan, born in 1969, in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, a Japanese transgender woman, and choreographer. According to Wikipedia, after studying dance in the USA, she became known in Japan as a member of the musical group Dos with Taeco Nishikawa and Asami Yoshino.
Being a celebrity in Japan, Kaba-chan was open with her sexuality. While she was already known for her flamboyant character in Dos, she came out as a gay man publicly on television on a 2002 episode of the Japanese variety show Dancing Sanma Palace.
2014,
Japanese,
Kaba-chan,
Original title: "Koibito to kurasu Okinawa: otoko ga onna ni natte onna o ai suru" 恋人と暮らす沖縄 : 男が女になって女を愛する (Living with a Lover in Okinawa: A Man Becomes a Woman and Loves a Woman) by Tsutamori Tatsuru 蔦森 樹.
I'm a man, I'm a woman Everyone just lives the dream given to them to the fullest. As a writer and lecturer, the author who travels back and forth between Tokyo and Okinawa will change your heart from curiosity to excitement by her generous way of life that transcends gender. Her interest shifted from the technical and cultural history of motorcycles to the issues of masculinity and femininity related to gender. In 1990 she published "Men Want to Be Pretty," which became a hot topic in Japan. She is the author of many papers and essays, including "And I Became a Man," and "Neither a Man nor a Woman."
2000,
Japanese,
Tsutamori Tatsuru,
Original title: "Josō to nihonjin" 女装と日本人 (Cross-dressing and Japan) by Junko Mitsuhashi 三橋 順子.
The myth of Yamato Takeru, medieval cross-dressing chigo, female Kabuki actors, Edo Yinma, modern transsexuals... Why do we get excited about things that transcend gender? You can find the answers in the book "Crossdresser and Japanese" by Junko Mitsuhashi.
Junko Mitsuhashi is a historian who specializes in the social and cultural history of sexuality. She lectures at a variety of schools including Meiji University and Tsuru University. She is a specialist in socio-cultural histories of gender and sexuality, Mitsuhashi’s own experience as a transgender woman has made her an authority on the history of transgender society and culture. In 2005, she was in charge of Japan's first specialized course on "transgender theory" at Ochanomizu University.
2008,
Japanese,
Junko Mitsuhashi,
"Toransujendā mondai ―― giron wa seiginotameni" トランスジェンダー問題――議論は正義のために (Transgender Issues – Debate for Justice) is the Japanese language edition of "The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice" by Shon Faye.
"Trans people in Britain today have become a culture war 'issue'. Despite making up less than 1% of the country's population, they are the subjects of a toxic and increasingly polarised 'debate', which generates reliable controversy for newspapers and talk shows. This media frenzy conceals a simple fact: that we are having the wrong conversation, a conversation in which trans people themselves are reduced to a talking point and denied a meaningful voice.
In this powerful new book, Shon Faye reclaims the idea of the 'transgender issue' to uncover the reality of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society. In doing so, she provides a compelling, wide-ranging analysis of trans lives from youth to old age, exploring work, family, housing, healthcare, the prison system, and trans participation in the LGBTQ+ and feminist communities, in contemporary Britain and beyond."
2022,
Japanese,
Shon Faye,
Original title: "Watashi no karada wa kamisama ga itazura de tsukutta no? - Seidōitsuseishōgai o koete" 私の体は神様がイタズラで造ったの?―性同 - 性障害を超えて(Was My Body Created by God as a Prank? - Beyond Gender Identity Disorder) by Ikeda Minoru 池田 稔
The book presents the reality of the anguish of transgender people and the actual conditions of treatment for gender identity disorder in Japan. The author is a urologist who deals with patients suffering from gender identity disorder.
Ikeda Minoru receives many messages like this one: "No matter how you look at it, the body I was born with belongs to a "man". But I want to live my life as a "woman". Based on e-mails sent to the author's website, etc., the reality of the suffering of people suffering from gender identity disorder is summarized and explained so that it can be understood correctly from a medical point of view. The content covers exchanges such as emails between the author and people who feel uncomfortable with their gender.
2001,
Ikeda Minoru,
Japanese,
Original title: "Murasaki no rirekisho" 紫の履歴書 (Purple Resume) by Akihiro Miwa 美輪 明宏. The book is an autobiography of Akihiro Miwa and was republished in 1992 and 2007.
Born in Nagasaki City in
1935, she made her debut as a professional singer at the age of seventeen. In 1957, "Mekemeke" was a big hit, and she took the world by storm with her natural good looks and unique fashion.
In 1966, she attracted attention again with her self-composed "Yoitomake no Uta", and the following year she starred in Shuji Terayama's "Hunchback Man of Aomori Prefecture" and "Fur Mary". In 1968, she starred in "Black Spider". In 1993, she reprised her role in Black Spider. In 1997, she won the Yomiuri Theater Award for Excellence for her reprise of The Two-Headed Eagle. She is active in a wide range of fields such as theater, concerts, movies, TV, radio, lectures, and writing.
1976,
Akihiro Miwa,
Japanese,
Original title: "Yōkoso, kabā.-Chan kitchin e" ようこそ、KABA.ちゃんキッチンへ (Welcome to KABA-chan's Kitchen) by Kaba-chan KABA.ちゃん. The book is a cookbook presented by Kaba-chan, born in 1969, in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, a Japanese transgender woman, and choreographer.
According to Wikipedia, after studying dance in the USA, she became known in Japan as a member of the musical group Dos with Taeco Nishikawa and Asami Yoshino. Being a celebrity in Japan, Kaba-chan was open with her sexuality. While she was already known for her flamboyant character in Dos, she came out as a gay man publicly on television on a 2002 episode of the Japanese variety show Dancing Sanma Palace.
2005,
Japanese,
Kaba-chan,
Original title: "Haruna Ai fāsuto shashin-shū “I ♡ AI” Haruna ai no tsukurikata" - はるな愛ファースト写真集『I♡AI』はるな愛のつくり方 (Ai Haruna's first photo book "I♡AI" How to make Ai Haruna) by Ai Haruna (はるな 愛).
This is the fourth book of Ai Haruna; it is mainly a photobook. Born Kenji Onishi in 1972, she is a Japanese TV celebrity and actress, singer, businesswoman, beauty pageant queen, and transgender activist. Her childhood was a happy time but her family was poor. She has a younger brother.
At school, she was known for her musical talent, performing at different school and cultural events. When she was in junior high school, she was bullied because of her feminine manners, so she could hardly study and her grades were poor.
2009,
Ai Haruna,
Japanese,
Original title: "Otoko no musume-tachi" 男の娘たち (Man's daughters) by Nao Kawamoto 川本 直.
This book is a non-fiction work called "Man's Daughters" that investigates the scene of cross-dressing culture and gender culture centered on young people. The origin of the publication is Japan's biggest cross-dressing event, attended by cosplay cross-dressing boys, and "closeted" people who live their daily lives as women... Their life histories depict a gradation of diversification and subdivision of the community. It is a fascinating book that required three years of in-depth research.
Nao Kawamoto was born in Tokyo in 1980. His debut novel Julian Butler's True Life (2021) won the 73rd Yomiuri Literature Prize (Best Novel) and the 9th Salmon Children's Literature Prize. His other books include "Men's Daughters" and co-edited "Kenichi Yoshida Again."
2014,
Japanese,
Nao Kawamoto,
Original title: "Miwa akihiro to iu ikikata" 美輪明宏という生き方 (The Way of Life of Akihiro Miwa) by Junko Mitsuhashi 三橋 順子, Toji Kamada, Ikuko Matsumoto, Angel Yuri, and Nobara Takemoto.
In the 1950s, a beautiful boy dressed in a purple costume suddenly appeared in Ginza. He captivated the audience with his good looks and beautiful voice, causing a stir in the mass media. Who is he? Man? Woman? At that time, there were still not many people who could take hid intense and alien brilliance directly.
Akihiro Miwa, who dramatically sings about those who go crazy in love, mothers who think of their children, and songs that are peaceful, has a wide range of activities to be a singer. A muse of artists, a shaman for the afflicted, a rare stage performer, a writer who laments and encourages the aesthetic poverty of our time. As the times finally begin to catch up, the existence of Akihiro Miwa is illuminated from various angles, and the essence of his/her world and way of life is approached.
2000,
Akihiro Miwa,
Angel Yuri,
Ikuko Matsumoto,
Japanese,
Junko Mitsuhashi,
Nobara Takemoto,
Toji Kamada,
